In mid-August, three term incumbent Governor Mike Leavitt, whom Huntsman strongly supported, decided not to run for re-election to a fourth term, in order to become the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Bush administration.

In April 2004, Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert decided to drop out of the Republican nomination and become Huntsman's running mate.

[16] Huntsman campaigned on eliminating the sales tax on food[17] and on ethics reform.

He proposed that lawmakers have to disclose all their gifts, they have to report monthly their campaign contributions, and they can't work as lobbyists immediately after leaving state government.

He said he would leave a label on the door of the governor's office "Economic Development Czar" if he's elected.

[20] In a March Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll, Matheson was leading all the Republicans running for the nomination except for Huntsman and Walker.

About one-fourth of Matheson's funds came from political committees, including $325,000 from the Democratic Governors Association.